The Rainbow Bridge

When I adopted Norma, a comment I received frequently was, “No way will you be able to resist calling her Norma Jean!” Resist, I didn’t. In fact, Norma became Norma Jean, Norma Jean Bean, Norma Jean Bean McQueen, Norma J. Bean, NJB, Norma Jean Junglecat Bean, Miss Norma J. Bean, Normie. Norma, however, presumably deaf for the entirety of our three years together, preferred to be acknowledged with a clap of the hands, a round of applause to honor how fabulous she was. Norma was the star, and perhaps a bit of a diva as well. When she wanted our attent

ion, we would receive “the business,” a sassy, half-bark, stomp-on-the-ground-with-her-short-Basset-legs approach to reminding us that Norma always got what Norma wanted.

In the mere 1,017 days we had together, it was an honor to provide Norma with everything she desired. She had the combined personality of a Basset and her presumed mix, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever; what a combination that was. She loved long walks (“boot camps”) in the countryside. Norma loved all types of treats, but she would put on a show for a Greenie’s bone. Norma also loved her morning trips to her private water bowl, pumpkin night, turn down service, time with her couch buddy, keeping watch over the staircase railing, and copious pets from my mother, another of her best friends.

Norma’s life for the last three years was magnificent, and it had a special fullness thanks to her canine companion, Beethoven. The two pups were sniffing partners, confidants, co-schemers, protectors of each other, and absolute best friends. Their affection for each other was a lovely and powerful force. From sleeping butt-to-butt on the couch, licking each other, and demonstrating an unbreakable solidarity, it became clear that perhaps the only connection that could rival the one between human and dog is the one between two pups. Beethoven will miss Norma forever.

Throughout our days together, Norma was my shadow, and she never once failed to remind me that the best and most meaningful time in my life was Norma time. At the end of our days together, I couldn’t help but lament, “There just wasn’t enough time.”

Somewhere at the foot of the Rainbow Bridge, Norma has met Bonnie and Fred, and instead of lamenting, I bet they are exuding gratitude. While the void will persist, I will honor Norma by doing the same. I am grateful, eternally, for the time when Norma was mine on earth, and the memories of her spunk, joy, and love will carry me forward until we meet again. I love you, Norma Jean.

Ellie died peacefully yesterday morning, July 10, 2023, at the office of Dr. Jay Kuhlman, at Gramercy Veterinary practice. She came to us as with special needs in January 2020. Unfortunately, this was right as COVID struck, so it took a while to establish a routine and for her to become accustomed to a normal home life, but once she did, she was as normal as any of our previous three houndies. She enjoyed rolling over for belly rubs and loudly insisted at being included at the end of family meals.
Over the weekend, all the problems that had affected her just came together in a perfect storm and it wasn’t right to ask more of her.
She was our Big Goof and we miss her.
Larry Gertner & Ingrid Kjeldaas

We lost our beloved Bella on June 10, 2020, to mast cell cancer. If wishing and hoping could bring her back, she would still be with us. She was one in a million, a true credit to her breed; stubborn, but loyal, curious, intelligent, kind to a fault. And she loved being a part of the annual BoardWaddle! RIP Bella. We love and miss you always…

Tony and Vinny came into our lives in September, 2012. That summer we became empty nesters. Our oldest son got married and our youngest was entering his last year of college. Both son’s moved out of state. Our sweet rescue basset Bella died that same summer after having her for only four years. By September we began searching for another Basset(s) and Tony and Vinny came into our lives! A representative from Tri State said “take a look at them if you change your mind there are others”! Of course we fell in love as soon as we saw them!! They had a nickname “Jersey Boys” when we adopted them and at our dog park that’s what they were know as! At day care they were known “the Meatballs “! They had funny habits like working in tandem sniffing the ground and howling if they found a vole trail! As if we were going to dig a hole! When they got fed they would push their dishes around, followed by pushing their food around in the bowl before they proceeded to eat! They never went into the garbage! They never begged at the table! They weren’t very good watch dogs! Although one time we had a contractor here to give an estimate and Vinny displayed enough warning we didn’t hired him. Despite having three cats, Tony was best at catching mice, not that we encouraged it!! Since 2014 we have been blessed with four grandchildren who only visit once a year because they live 800 miles away. Tony and Vinny were always wonderful around them! Although they would give the pleading eyes that asked “when are they leaving?” In 2015 Tony experienced a few episodes of seizures and Vinny was diagnosed with Hemolytic Anemia. Vinny had been on azathioprine until this past July when our vet switch him to Prednisone because his liver levels were high. I have to credit our awesome Vet for giving us many extra quality years with the Jersey boys. Tony crossed the rainbow bridge in January 28, 2020. His illness came on very sudden and we had to make the difficult decision of helping him cross the bridge. Tony and Vinny were so bonded that Vinny never got over it. We would have to put loud music on and sneak out of the house when we went out. We even scheduled our work hours so Vinny wouldn’t have to be alone for a very long. On October 28, 2022 Vinny joined his brother with us at his side. We will always have a special place in our hearts and their loss is leaves a void in our lives that is indescribable. Thank you Tri State for giving us a gift that will always be special!!!

Mary Kate Gallagher & Bob Borthwick

We will miss our Ziggy. He loved all of his food – he was very food motivated! Over the last week we spoiled him with all kinds of yummy stuff – pancakes, bacon and chicken. Ziggy was the protector of the family alerting us to delivery people or plastic bags blowing down the street. He ceded most of that responsibility in the last year to Coco (our 3rd dog), a feisty Frenchie. But Ziggy was the leader of the pack and was a favorite cuddle pillow for both Watson and Coco. We miss Ziggy. We were happy to have him for nearly 9 years. Ever loyal, ever faithful.

The McNicholas Family

Sugar passed on Saturday, January 28th, 2012, after a battle with lymphoma. Sugar, as her name implied, was a sweet dog always with a smile on her face and a wag in her tail. She greeted everyone as a friend. She especially enjoyed the company of small children. She would engage them in social settings and wanted to be in the middle of their party no matter what they were doing. She allowed them to do whatever they wanted with her, pulling her ears, tail etc. She never uttered a disapproving sound or an unaccepting response. Rabbits were her favorite animal to “hound”, though she did capture an occassional mouse and a squirrel on one occasion. She was a consumate camper and loved spending long lazy hours in the tall grass of summer. Of course, the food around the camp fire was another one of her favorites! No couch was out of her domain and she spent many a long day resting her weary bones. Sugar’s career as a “show” dog was highlighted by winning best costume at the BoardWaddle once and runner–up twice. The Tri-State Basset Rescue transport person picked her up from a shelter in Toms River, where she was slated to be euthanized. We got her that Sunday at the McDonald’s parking lot, with the understanding that they really knew nothing about her and we could return her if she did not work out. Well, she got out of the car rolled over on her back and requested what later became known as her signature belly rub request. Six wonderful years later, she has gone to rest. She willed be missed.

The Hanlon family

In memory of Hannah, who is running free. We adopted Hannah 8 years ago. She was not the top student in obedience school and would never win the prize for friendliest pooch but as Frank Sinatra said, she did it her way…and we truly miss her and loved her for who she was. She was a great coworker in her later years. Although she was not very social with other animals in her early years, her last few months brought a new appreciation and tolerance for my daughter’s 2 cats, Moe and Beanman, while she moved back during a college internship. Although she typically never robbed anything from the table, Hannah once enjoyed an entire half of a poppyseed roll from the kitchen table and found a whole piece of pizza while walking through the woods. We sure do miss you. RIP Hannah.

I remember the first time we laid our eyes on Sally. We were over our friend’s our house (Rich and Robyn Bryant) because Robyn told Rich that she went to the SPCA and adopted a dog. It was in the summertime, the weather was warm. We went over to meet the new addition to the Bryant’s household. At that time, Sally was about three years old and full of fire!! I played with her and she chased me around our friend’s above ground pool several times. She was a happy dog with her tongue hanging out and smiling all the time. A few years later, we heard the news that the Bryant’s decided to give Sally to a new home since their first-born son was young and Robyn was expecting twin boys. Robyn decided to give Sally to a friend she knew who lived on a farm. We were sad to hear that Sally was getting a new home but was comfort by the fact that Sally was going to a home with lots of places to do what she did best at that time, sniff!! I don’t know what happened when Sally was on the farm but the Bryant’s ended up getting her back after a few years had passed. Sally wasn’t the same fun loving, high spirited basset we all remembered. Sally had changed and not for the best. Rich had spoken to Paul about placing Sally in the rescue because Sally had developed aggression issues (especially with the kids) and Rich didn’t feel comfortable enough to keep her in the family anymore. The year was 2005, we lost Stocker a year earlier to cancer and we had adopted Alvin at Christmas time in 2002 from Tri-State. We went over the Bryant’s to pick up Sally to begin the process. I spoke to Paul and we decided to keep Sally as one of our own because we were both afraid that Sally would be put down because of her aggression issues, that she wouldn’t be “adoptable”. She definitely did change, as you couldn’t touch her when she was on her bed at night because she would growl and show her teeth. You couldn’t kiss her nose either as she would try to bite your head off. She definitely had trust issues too!! But she would give you a kiss but it was on her terms and she would always flop on her back for a belly rub but be assured she would have one eye on you the entire time. Sally listened well and we adjusted to her and she adjusted to us in time. We had a very unique understanding of each other. Sally was a great guard basset and she really turned into a loving dog. Eating and sleeping were her favorite things to do. She was definitely “The Queen” in our household and let Alvin; and the other foster bassets we had, know it every day. We had the opportunity to enjoy Sally for 7 years until about a month ago when she started having seizures. We didn’t know what was going on with her, but we knew it was her time because there was no more wagging tail when we came home and no more love in her eyes. She was 13 years old. It was like someone shut off the lights but she didn’t even realize that her lights were shut off. We will forever love our Growly Sally or Sally Ann as I use to call her and she will always have a special place in our hearts!! I know that she’s still trying to be “The Queen” at the Rainbow Bridge and she’s doing her best to boss all of the other puppies up there around – especially Alvin!!

Karen & Paul Curley

On October 19, 2011 I lost my best friend Kuffs. He died from cancer and felt no pain when he left this world. I had him for nine years and he truly was everything to me. I work for the NYCPD and got him right after the Trade Center. He was named after the movie with Christian Slater. The name seemed perfect for a cop’s dog. It was a time in my life where a void needed to be filled and he did that with fine style. Kuffs slept in bed with me every night of his life. In nine years I can not remember him ever growling at anything. He was treated as though he was my child. Kuffs brought such love into my life by just being there when I needed him. Always full of energy all he wanted was to be with me, he truly was daddy’s boy. We were with each other till the end and all that knew him loved him. His passing left a neighborhood in such depression. Those who knew him loved him immediately. I like to think he lived a charmed life, he was never really discipled because he didn’t need to be. He was stubborn just like his owner. Not a mean bone in his body towards any one or any animal. He found something new in everyday he lived. Kuffs lived a wonderful life, never sick and got anything he wanted. Till the very end all he wanted was to come home and be with me. I can never repay him for the joy that he gave me in my life. I have been through some hard times in my career in the NYPD, but this has been the hardest time in my life without him. Its hard to believe that there is something after all this, especially with what I have seen, but if there is I hope to meet him there. Kuffs where ever you are daddy loves you and misses you very much.

Peter Mc Carthy

We adopted our dear, sweet Molly from Tri-State in 2004, just a few months after buying our first home. The day that I met her at the shelter, I fell in love with her. She nuzzled up to me immediately and lifted her beefy little paw so I could rub her belly. Her favorite activities included eating, sleeping, snuggling, eating, going for walks, going for sniffs, eating, and getting lots of pets. After nearly 8 years filled with love, snuggles and belly rubs, Molly left us on Christmas Day after some respiratory distress. She was the sweetest dog and we miss her and her Basset ways already.

Lori Litchman and Dave Tavani